The Star-Eyed Shepherd.
Once upon a time,
Or perhaps not so long ago,
There lived a mighty king.
He was a powerful ruler and his people feared him greatly.
Whenever he sneezed,
Everyone in the land had to say,
With one voice and one heart,
God bless you,
Health,
Your majesty.
Everyone except one man,
The Star-Eyed Shepherd.
The king soon heard of this.
The soldiers seized the shepherd and brought him before the throne.
The king spoke.
I have heard that you do not say,
God bless my health.
Oh,
But I do,
Your majesty,
The shepherd replied calmly.
God bless my health.
The king's face darkened.
Not your health,
He snapped.
You must say,
God bless my health.
God bless my health,
Answered the shepherd without hesitation.
The soldiers murmured in outrage.
Don't you understand?
Not your health,
The king's health.
The shepherd looked at them quietly and said,
That I will not say.
And why not,
Demanded the king.
I will not say it,
The shepherd replied,
Until your majesty gives me your daughter's hand in marriage.
The king was filled with rage.
Take him,
He commanded,
To the deepest danger and there is a lion there.
Let it tear him apart.
The soldiers dragged the shepherd down,
Deep beneath the castle,
Into a dark and silent chamber.
There,
A great starving lion waited.
When the shepherd was thrown inside,
The lion roared.
But the shepherd simply looked into its eyes and something changed.
The lion grew still,
Gentle,
Like a quiet lamb.
By morning,
The guards came,
Expecting to get the bones.
Instead,
They found the shepherd alive,
Calm and whole.
Are you still alive,
They asked in disbelief.
Of course I am,
Said the shepherd.
I will not die until the king's daughter becomes my wife.
He was brought again before the king.
Well,
Said the king,
Will you now say,
God bless my health?
I will not,
Said the shepherd,
Until you gave me your daughter.
The king,
Furious,
Gave another command.
Take him deeper still.
There are twelve white boars there.
Let them feast on him.
Down he went again,
But this time,
The shepherd carried his flute.
As the boars surrounded him,
He began to play.
Softly at first,
Then gently,
Then beautifully.
And something strange happened.
The white boars gathered together and began to dance.
Back and forth they moved,
As if carried by the music.
They danced until they grew tired,
And slowly,
One by one,
They fell asleep.
The shepherd spread his coat,
Laid down upon it,
And slept as peacefully as milk.
In the morning,
The guards returned,
And once again,
He was alive.
The king could hardly believe his eyes.
Will you say it now,
He demanded.
I will not,
Said the shepherd quietly,
Until your daughter is my wife.
The king,
Trembling with anger,
Ordered.
Throw him into the razor well.
It was a deep well,
Lined with sharp blades all around.
As they brought him there,
The shepherd paused.
Wait a moment,
He said.
Perhaps I will reconsider.
The guards stepped aside.
The shepherd placed his staff at the edge of the well,
Set his hat and coat upon it,
And quietly slipped away,
Hiding on the other side.
When the guards returned,
They pushed the figure into the well,
Thinking it was him.
The next morning they came to retrieve what remained,
But once again,
The shepherd stood before them,
Alive,
Unharmed.
Wrote again before the king.
Well,
Asked the king,
Now weary.
Will you say it?
I will not,
Said the shepherd,
Until your daughter is my wife.
So the king tried another way.
He took the shepherd in a carriage through his lands.
They came to a forest of copper.
All this is yours,
Said the king,
If only you say it.
I will not.
They came to a golden lake.
All this is yours,
If only you say it.
I will not.
They came to a meadow of diamonds.
All this is yours,
If only you say it.
I will not.
At last,
The king sighed.
Very well,
He said.
You shall have my daughter.
And now,
He asked,
Now.
I will say it,
Smiled the shepherd.
And so the king gave his daughter to him,
And a great wedding was held.
During the feast,
A strong dish of horseradish was served.
It tickled the king's nose,
And he sneezed.
And the shepherd began.
God bless your health!
God bless your health!
God bless your health!
Enough,
Cried the king,
Laughing.
That is quiet enough.
But the shepherd only smiled and continued a little longer.
The king grew so fond of him.
Then he gave him not only his daughter,
But the whole kingdom.
And so the star-eyed shepherd became king.
And never was there a king ruler upon the earth.
And from that day on,
People would greet him from afar.
God bless your health!
And perhaps,
They still live there even now,
If they have not passed away.
And this is the end of the tale.
Run along with it,
Gently,
Into your dreams.
